1st generation Silverado (GMT800) · GMT800 · 5,705 complaints, 4,742 with mileage
Owners filed 5,705 complaints with NHTSA about the 1999–2006 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, and 4,742 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 50,000 and 120,000 miles. The median is 81,692 miles.
The most-reported areas are the brakes (22.9% of complaints, typically around 106,000 miles), the hydraulic brake circuit (20.8% of complaints, typically around 70,000 miles), the electrical system (14.0% of complaints, typically around 69,800 miles).
| System | Complaints | Share | Typical mileage | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes | 1,307 | 22.9% | 106,000 | 75,000–140,000 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1,188 | 20.8% | 70,000 | 44,050–101,000 |
| Electrical System | 798 | 14.0% | 69,800 | 47,000–95,000 |
| Steering | 266 | 4.7% | 38,750 | 20,227–75,000 |
| Structure | 221 | 3.9% | 104,842 | 80,217–150,000 |
| Power Train | 214 | 3.8% | 75,000 | 45,000–103,872 |
| Air Bags | 205 | 3.6% | 99,021 | 62,000–138,000 |
| Suspension | 157 | 2.8% | 78,000 | 41,780–108,516 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 131 | 2.3% | 72,864 | 42,000–107,000 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 120 | 2.1% | 85,000 | 52,000–126,544 |
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 711 | 500 |
| 2000 | 731 | 574 |
| 2001 | 627 | 491 |
| 2002 | 620 | 534 |
| 2003 | 960 | 854 |
| 2004 | 951 | 830 |
| 2005 | 643 | 560 |
| 2006 | 462 | 399 |
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 81,692 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The brakes account for 22.9% of complaints (1,307 reports, 1,246 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 106,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 75,000 and 140,000 miles.
The hydraulic brake circuit accounts for 20.8% of complaints (1,188 reports, 1,018 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 70,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 44,050 and 101,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 14.0% of complaints (798 reports, 681 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 69,800 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 47,000 and 95,000 miles.
The steering accounts for 4.7% of complaints (266 reports, 208 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 38,750 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 20,227 and 75,000 miles.
Body structure accounts for 3.9% of complaints (221 reports, 178 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 104,842 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 80,217 and 150,000 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 3.8% of complaints (214 reports, 174 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 75,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 45,000 and 103,872 miles.
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2003 model year drew the most — 960 complaints — while 2006 drew the fewest at 462. The median year sits at 677.
No recall campaigns covering this generation appear in NHTSA's post-2010 recall file. That is not the same as an absence of problems — recalls address safety defects specifically, and many of the complaints above concern faults that are expensive or annoying without meeting that threshold.
Of the 5,705 complaints filed against this generation, 413 reported a crash; 116 reported a fire; 264 reported an injury; 26 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 7.2% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 50,000 and 120,000 miles, with a median of 81,692. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the brakes and the hydraulic brake circuit are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The hydraulic brake circuit in particular shows a median failure mileage of 70,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Stepper-motor failure in the gauge cluster causing gauges to stick, read wrong or drop to zero; the fuel-level sender also fails from sulfur deposits.
ABS wheel-speed sensor and EBCM faults causing unwanted low-speed ABS activation and extended stopping distance; subject of NHTSA recall action on 1999-2002 GM trucks.
Intermediate steering shaft wear producing a clunk or knock on turn-in; a very high-volume TSB item.
4L60E clutch pack and sun-shell failures, worsened by towing.